The 16th Ohio Senate District

Troy Doucet is running as a Democrat for the Ohio Senate in the 16th District. This district comprises most of western Franklin County. It includes some pockets of Columbus, Worthington, Dublin, Hilliard, Upper Arlington, and Grove City.

The district is currently held by a Republican. However, it is considered one of the most competitive Ohio Senate seats in 2020. About 54.5% of voters in this district voted for Democrats representing the three inclusive House districts in 2018. The district now leans democratic and there is a high likelihood of flipping it blue in 2020.

Troy needs your support in order to win this seat! Click here to get involved.

Statistical Abstract of Ohio Senate 16

Population Makeup

About 27% of the district’s population is under 18 years old, and about 55% of the population is 22-59 years old. There is a noticeable difference in population size at these age groups compared to Ohio in general, with a remarkable dip in residents between 18-22 years old. These figures suggest many families in the district send their kids to college. About 55% of the district is comprised of married households.

The Population Density of Ohio Senate 16.

Ohio Educational Attainment for Ohio Senate District 16.

Educational Attainment

The data indicates a larger number of residents in this district have higher educational degrees (56.8%) than compared to Ohio generally (33%). This is a 172% comparative higher educational attainment in this district. Approximately 19.2% of the district population holds a Masters or higher degree, with each educational level at Bachelors or higher than the relative educational attainment in Ohio.

Economic

The district is comprised of economically diverse households. Most of the district earns relatively more than Ohio’s median. The median income for the entire district is $72,500 compared to $50,700 for Ohio. 69.8% of the district is employed (27.4% other), with only 2.8% reporting as unemployed.

Approximately 10,500 families receive governmental nutrition assistance, representing about 7.1% of the District. This is the third lowest percentage in the state.

Median Household Income for Senate 16.

Race and Ethnicity

Whites make up 80.90% of the district, followed by 6.7% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 4.8% African American, 2.3% Mixes, and .3% Other. This is similar to Ohio in general, except that the Asian and African American makeup are reversed statewide.

Politically Balanced

This District is politically balanced, with about 55% of voters not formally affiliated with a party (did not vote in a partisan primary). The district votes for Republican candidates sometimes, and Democratic candidates in other races. Moderate, common-sense candidates appear to outperform here. About 265,000 people are registered to vote in this district.

A very large number of people (170,000) voted in 2018, compared to 186,000 in 2016’s presidential year. In 2014, only 94,710 people voted. Democratic Ohio House candidates won by 54.5% in 2018, so the Democratic voters in this district are motivated and engaged!

The Ohio General Assembly: House and Senate

The Ohio General Assembly is the legislative body in Ohio which drafts and passes laws before they go to the governor for a signature or veto. Similar to the federal branch of the government, the Ohio Legislature is comprised of two chambers, the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate. Laws must be passed by both these chambers before being sent to the Governor of Ohio for signature into law (or veto). The Governor’s veto can be overridden by 3/5 members from each chamber.

There are 99 members of the Ohio House of Representatives. Each member is elected by a district comprising approximately 117,000 people. There are approximately 12 million people who live in Ohio (1/99 of the state population).

There are 33 senators in the Ohio Senate, with each Senator’s district being comprised of three member’s districts. Thus, each senator has about 350,000 constituents in their districts. Ohio’s district sizes are fourth largest in the nation, with the U.S. average being only 60,000 and 156,000 constituents respectively.

Ohio’s districts are redrawn every 10 years after the census is completed. The current district maps went into effect in 2012 and will remain through 2022. The districts are currently heavily imbalanced due to gerrymandering (the process of dividing voters into districts to maximize one party control). Republicans control 61 of the 99 seats (62%) in the Ohio House of Representatives and 24 of the 33 Senate seats (72.7%).

In 2015, voters soundly rejected gerrymandering by voting 71% in favor of amending Ohio’s Constitution to abolish the practice for Ohio legislative races. Now, a bipartisan redistricting commission will draw districts for Ohio Statehouse races, rather than the party in power. Starting in 2022, one party should not have unfair advantage over the other. (Congressional maps will also change in 2022 under a different process designed to end gerrymandering.) The new law also requires public meetings regarding the redistricting. More democrats are needed for balance, and your support is needed in order to make that happen. Please support Troy's race for balance by clicking here.

Election Frequency & Term Limits

The Ohio Senate’s members are up for election every four years, on the even years, with a portion being up for election every two years. Senators are term limited at 8 consecutive years. They are able to “switch” chambers with House members, which is what the current Republican Senator did when her term ended in the House. It is time for change, and this District is key in 2020!